Early warning detection of performance deviation in well and reservoir surveillance operations

Abstract

Methods and systems, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium are described for implementing early warning detection of performance deviations in gas well and reservoir surveillance operations. An example process includes obtaining production data about the well and generating predictions about conditions at a subsurface region that includes the well. The system computes a difference between measured conditions of the production data and predicted conditions at the subsurface region. A performance deviation (PD) is determined with reference to a particular area of the subsurface region that includes the well. The PD is compared to a threshold value. A particular type of automated response is triggered to address a variance in performance of the well when the PD exceeds the threshold value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method implemented using a system for managing operations involving a well in a subsurface region, the method comprising:
 obtaining production data about the well;   generating predictions about a plurality of conditions at the subsurface region that includes the well;   computing a difference between measured conditions obtained from the production data and predicted conditions obtained from the predictions about the plurality of conditions at the subsurface region;   determining, based on the computed difference, a performance deviation with reference to a particular area of the subsurface region that includes the well;   comparing the performance deviation to a predetermined threshold value that represents an acceptable tolerance for variance in performance of the well; and   triggering, when the performance deviation exceeds the predetermined threshold value, a particular type of automated response comprising an action that addresses the variance in performance of the well.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a performance deviation comprises:
 determining a magnitude of the performance deviation; or   determining a magnitude of the variance in performance of the well.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein triggering a particular type of automated response comprises:
 selecting a particular type of automated response based at least on the magnitude of the variance in performance of the well; and   triggering an action of the selected particular type of automated response that reduces the magnitude of the variance in performance of the well.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein triggering an action of the selected particular type of automated response comprises:
 triggering an action that eliminates the variance in performance of the well and the performance deviation.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the particular type of automated response comprises at least one of:
 an action that generates a warning notification; or   an action that generates an alarm signal.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the well is a gas or hydrocarbon producing well; and   the predictions about a plurality of conditions comprises predicted data values for flow rate, pressure, and temperature relating to the gas producing well.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the performance deviation includes flow conditions of the gas well that are outside the acceptable tolerance for variance in performance of the well. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the particular type of automated response comprises at least one of:
 an action that causes, by an autonomous system, intervention at the particular area of the subsurface region that includes the well; or   a total shut-in of the gas producing well.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the performance deviation and the variance in performance of the well are the same. 
     
     
         10 . A system for managing operations involving a well in a subsurface region, the system comprising a processing device and a non-transitory machine-readable storage device storing instructions that are executable by the processing device to cause performance of operations comprising:
 obtaining production data about the well;   generating predictions about a plurality of conditions at the subsurface region that includes the well;   computing a difference between measured conditions obtained from the production data and predicted conditions obtained from the predictions about the plurality of conditions at the subsurface region;   determining, based on the computed difference, a performance deviation with reference to a particular area of the subsurface region that includes the well;   comparing the performance deviation to a predetermined threshold value that represents an acceptable tolerance for variance in performance of the well; and   triggering, when the performance deviation exceeds the predetermined threshold value, a particular type of automated response comprising an action that addresses the variance in performance of the well.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein determining a performance deviation comprises:
 determining a magnitude of the performance deviation; or   determining a magnitude of the variance in performance of the well.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein triggering a particular type of automated response comprises:
 selecting a particular type of automated response based at least on the magnitude of the variance in performance of the well; and   triggering an action of the selected particular type of automated response that reduces the magnitude of the variance in performance of the well.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein triggering an action of the selected particular type of automated response comprises:
 triggering an action that eliminates the variance in performance of the well and the performance deviation.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the particular type of automated response comprises at least one of:
 an action that generates a warning notification; or   an action that generates an alarm signal;   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the well is a gas or hydrocarbon producing well; and   the predictions about a plurality of conditions comprises predicted data values for flow rate, pressure, and temperature relating to the gas producing well.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the performance deviation includes flow conditions of the gas well that are outside the acceptable tolerance for variance in performance of the well. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the particular type of automated response comprises at least one of:
 an action that causes, by an autonomous system, intervention at the particular area of the subsurface region that includes the well; or   a total shut-in of the gas producing well.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the performance deviation and the variance in performance of the well are the same. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage device storing instructions for managing operations involving a well in a subsurface region, the instructions being executable by a processing device to cause performance of operations comprising:
 obtaining production data about the well;   generating predictions about a plurality of conditions at the subsurface region that includes the well;   computing a difference between measured conditions obtained from the production data and predicted conditions obtained from the predictions about the plurality of conditions at the subsurface region;   determining, based on the computed difference, a performance deviation with reference to a particular area of the subsurface region that includes the well;   comparing the performance deviation to a predetermined threshold value that represents an acceptable tolerance for variance in performance of the well; and   triggering, when the performance deviation exceeds the predetermined threshold value, a particular type of automated response comprising an action that addresses the variance in performance of the well.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of  claim 19 , wherein triggering a particular type of automated response comprises:
 selecting a particular type of automated response based at least on a magnitude of the variance in performance of the well; and   
       triggering an action of the selected particular type of automated response that reduces the magnitude of the variance in performance of the well.